BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:icalendar-ruby
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
X-WR-CALNAME:Living Droplets Get to Work
X-WR-TIMEZONE:Eastern Time (US & Canada)
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260520T163945Z
UID:tag:localist.com\,2008:EventInstance_39492467337282
DTSTART:20220330T160000Z
DTEND:20220330T170000Z
DESCRIPTION:Droplets of simple liquids\, like oil and water\, are essential
  engineering systems.  Classically\, we use them to deliver material\, tra
 nsport heat\, and control chemical reactions. Thanks to microfluidic techn
 ology\, a wealth of new applications has emerged in recent years.  \n\nEvo
 lution\, however\, beat us to it. For more than a billion years\, living c
 ells have been producing microscopic droplets in the cytoplasm.  These dro
 plets have very different chemical compositions and mechanical properties 
 than the simple fluids we encounter daily.  Their primary job is thought t
 o be the organization of chemical reactions.  However\, they can also play
  a mechanical role\, as the cohesive forces that hold droplets together in
 evitably lead to adhesion.  I will demonstrate this with the interaction o
 f stress granules and the cytoskeleton in human epithelial cells.  \n\nThi
 s broad class of micro-fluids has great engineering potential.  I will sho
 w how enzymatic activity can transform a simple droplet into a micro-robot
 .  These ‘drobots’ already have rudimentary capabilities of sensing an
 d actuation\, fueled by energy harvested from their surroundings.   On the
  horizon\, enzymatic networks will enable programmability and control.
GEO:42.3783;-71.117081
LOCATION:Pierce Hall\, 209
SUMMARY:Living Droplets Get to Work
URL;VALUE=URI:https://events.seas.harvard.edu/event/living_droplets_get_to_
 work
CATEGORIES:Colloquia / Seminar / Lecture
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR